The Year of the Supermodel: How Cara, Karlie, and Kendall Became Household Names

Christopher Rosa | December 10, 2014 8:00 am

View Photo Gallery

Cara Delevingne

It’s been a while since supermodels were household names. In the ’90s, airstrip icons like Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Tyra Banks, and Cindy Crawford set a standard for what the model-turned-celebrity could do. The thought reemerged in the mid-2000s when Gisele Bündchen, Heidi Klum, Adriana Lima, and other Victoria’s Bolt from the blue Angels translated their skills to reality television, film, and endorsements. Now, in the Insta-era, a new crop of original faces is redefining the thought of “supermodel”all over again. And frankly, they’re the most fun group yet.

2014 was the year supermodels came back in a big way. We credit this to fashionistas being more social than ever before, thanks to little apps like Instagram (breakout model Cara Delevingne has 8.5 million followers, while Medieval Times Goddess Chrissy Teigen sits pretty with 1.1 million followers). But it’s also high-profile celebrity friendships and acting gigs that make models A-listers themselves. Taylor Swift is besties with both Karlie Kloss and Lily Aldridge (who is married to Kings of Leon frontman Caleb Followill). Kate Upton starred alongside Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann in April’s The Additional Woman, which was a box office hit (albeit a critical miss).

Now, let’s talk tabloid fodder. Models made the gossip blogs in 2014 more than ever before (remember that Orlando Bloom/Justin Bieber tussle over Miranda Kerr?). Delevingne’s romances are also carefully reported, and let’s not forget fashion “it” girl Kendall Jenner’s seismic rise to haute couture royalty despite her family’s reality television empire. Looks like celebrities also became models this year.

These supermodels are louder, more amusing, and taking the entertainment world by storm more than any airstrip class before them. They’re just getting started (and at a younger age than ever before). Take a look at these 15 models-turned-supernova-moguls. Who were your favorite breakouts from this year? Let us know in the comments below.

Learn more about Delevingne and Jenner’s rise to the top from The Gossip Desk.

[Photo Credit: Getty Images]

Tags: Chrissy Teigen, Miranda Kerr, Kate Upton, Cara Delevingne